Rotary reversible engine.



G. A. BJORNSON.

ROTARY REVERSIBLE ENGINE.

APPLICATION num SEPT. 9. ma. 1 1 1 8,840, Patented NOV. 24. 1914.,

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ROTARY REVERSIBLE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9. 191s.

1 1 1 8,840. Patented Nov; 24. 1914.

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ROTARY REVERSIBLE ENGINE,

APPLIUATION I'ILBD SEPT. 9, 1913. 1, 1 1 8,840, Patented Nov. 24, 1914.4

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Y. ble Engines,

GUSTAF A. BJORNSON, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

ROTARY REVERSIBLE ENGINE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

Application led September 9, 1913. Serial No. 788,865.

To all whom it may concern Be ,it known that I, GUsTAF A. BJoRNsoN, a subject of the King of Sweden, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rotary Reversiof which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rotary steam engines, the object in view being to produce an engine of the class referred to which is easily reversible so that it may be caused to operate in either direction desired by the shifting of a single controlling valve.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel construction and combination of rotor and abutment whereby steam pressure is conserved and the steam prevented from leaking around the rotor and abutments and past the sides of both the rotor and abutments.

A further object of the invention is to produce a rotary steam engine which is capable of being manufactured at a minimum cost and which may be maintained in Workin condition economically.

Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will hereinafter be more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings z-Figure 1 is a front elevation of a rotary steam engine embodying the present invention looklng toward the gear side. Fig. 2 is also an elevation of the engine looking toward the opposite side. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sec tion on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a diametrical section through the rotor. Fig.

6 is a similar view of one of the rotary abutments. Fig. 7 is a detail cross section on an enlarged scale through the rotor, showing v the packing sections applied to one of the piston wings. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the overlapping packlng sections. Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation illustrating the relation between the rotor and abutment. Fig. 10 -is a detail perspective view of one set of packing sections.

Thev engine contemplated in this `invention comprises ay base 1 which is substantially ,square or rectangular and provided 4along a medial line, with supports for the casing which incloses the rotor"and rotary abutments hereinafter particularly described.

The base 1 also supports two series of pillow blocks 3 having bearings 4 for the shafts of the rotor and abutments, 5 designating the shaft of the rotor and G the shafts of the rotary abutments arranged in spaced relation to the shaft 5 and equi-distant therefrom at opposite sides.

The casing designated generally by the reference character A comprises three sections, a middle section 7 and two end sections 8 and 9, each of the sections being substantially cylindrical but opening into each other as shown in the vertlcal longitudinal section, Fig. 4. In the central section 7 is mounted the rotor 10 which as shownis provided with three wings 11 the outer edges of which work `in contact with the inner periphery of the sections 7 of the casing, the rotor 10 being of materially less diameter than the internal diameter of the section of the casing in which it works so as to provide the annular steam space or expansion chamber 12.

In the section 8 of the casing is mounted a rotary abutment 13 while a corresponding rotary abutment 14 is mounted in the section 9 of the casing. Each of said rotary abutments is formed with three recesses 15 to receive the wings 11 of the rotor and all of said rotary elements, including the rotor 10 and the abutments 13 `and 14 are revolved at exactly the same speed by means of gear wheels 16, 17 and 18 fast on the respective shafts of the rotary abutments and rotor as clearly illustrated 1n Figs. 1 and 3, the said gear wheels being arranged exteriorly of the casing A.

In order to prevent `the leakage of steam around the side faces of the rotor and rotary abutments, the rotor 10 is provided in its opposite faces with annular grooves 19 in which are placed packing rings 20 which work in contact with the opposite side walls of the casing, said casing being shown in the .preferred embodiment thereof as closed at sections 25 which work in contact with the inner surfaces of the opposite side walls of `the casing A. In this way the steam' is prevented from passing around the opposite sides of the members 10, 13 vand 14 thus economizing in the use of steam.

ln order to prevent the leakage of steam around the wings 11, each of saidwings is formed as shown in the detail section, Fig. 7 wherein it will be observed that each piston wing is provided in the three exposed sides thereof with grooves 26 to receive packing sections 27 and 28. Each of said sections is formed of metal and is of double [L-shape so as to embrace the opposite sides of the wing 15 and outer face thereof, where said packing sections are oppositely cut away and overlapped as shown at 29 thus allowing for the necessary expansion and contraction of the packing sections relatively to each other.

At their inner ends the packing sections 27 and 28 are provided with inwardly extending retaining lips 30 which are received in recesses 31 as shown in Fig. 7, the c'onstruction referred to limiting the outward movement of the packing sections in a radial direction. Within each of the grooves formed to receive the packing sections 27 and 2 8 is placed a spring 31 shown as of serpentine form, the springs 31 serving to urge the packing sections outwardly to opposite sides and also toward the inner periphery of the rotor casing, thereby maintaining a close steam-tight contact with the casing and preventing the steam from passing by the piston wings. Stuing boxes 32 are arranged at opposite sides of the casing to prevent leakage of steam around the shafts 5 and 6 above referred to.

33 designates the steam chest to which steam is led by a supply pipe 34 controlled by a valve 35. Mounted for movement within the steam chest 33 is a slide valve 36 which enables the engine to be reversed `as will hereinafter appear. rllhe valve 36 is connected to an operating rod 37 which leads outwardlyl through a stuffing box 38 in the steam chest andlis connected to a reversing lever 39 provided with a thumb latch 40 coperating with a segmental rack 41 ex tending from the casing A. A single exhaust pipe 42 leads out of the steam chest 33 while two sets of steam inlet pipes are used, each set comprising av short pipe 43 and a longer pipe 44, the pipes 44 crossing each other as shown in Fig. 2 and leading into the rotorcasing at opposite sides of the rotor 10, the inlet ports of one set of pipes being shown at 45 and 46 in Fig. 4 and the other set of inlet ports being shown at 47 and 48. lt will be observed that the ports 45 to 48 inclusive are arranged close to the meeting points of the rotor and rotary abutments so as to leave as little steam space as possible between said ports and the actual points of contact between the rotor @and the abutments thus doing away with any steam cushion at such points which also extend across thel intenso would interfere more or less with the eii-I ciency and power of the engine.

llt will be observed that when the valve 36 is moved in one direction it will throw one set of pipes 43 and 44 into operation and when moved in the opposite direction, it will cut od said set of pipes and throw the other set into operation.l ln this way the steam may be let into the set of ports 45 and 46 or into the lother set 47 and 48 with the "result that the expansion 'of the steam will drive the rotor in one direction or the other in accordance with the ports in use.

By reference to Fig. 4 it will be observed that when steam is admitted through the ports 47 and 48, it will act by expansion between the rotary abutments and the piston wings to drive the rotor in a counter-clockwise direction, and when the steam is admitted through the other ports 45 and 46, it will act between the' same elements to drive the rotor in a clockwise direction. As

the steam is simultaneously expandingv against two of the piston wings, the little resistance odered by the steam against the piston wing which is just emerging from the recess 15 in the adjacent abutment will be comparatively slight and will not interfere with the general efficiency of the engine. Furthermore by reason of the particular number and arrangement of the pistoia wings and recesses in the rotary abutments, the engine cannot stop on a dead center and therefore it will always start'as soon as steam is turned into the proper ports.

@il cups 49 are provided leading through the upper portion of the casing to conduct oil to the rotary abutment and drain cocks 50` are placed at suitable points in the bottom of the casing to turn 0H any liquid or water or condensation therein.

For use in larger or heavier engines, ll prefer to use the form of packing illustrated in Fig. .10 wherein it will be observed that three packing strips 27', 28 and 29 are employed, the peripheral packing section 29 'having a dove-tailed terminal engagement with the extremities of the side packing strips 27 and 28' as shown at 29. rllhe strips 27 and 28 are provided with 'the unturned retaining lugs 30 having the same function as those shown in Fig. 7

What is claimed is 1. ln a rotary steam engine, a casing embodying three cylindrical sections in communication with each other and arranged end to end, rotary abutments journaled in the end sections of the casing and provided with recessesin their peripheries, a rotor journaled in the central section of the casing and embodying piston wings movable r`into and out of the recesses 4in the rotary aloutments, steam inlets arranged in sets at vopposite sides of the rotor and adjacent to the poi nts olf-convergence of the peripheries fet of the rotor and abutments, a steam chest, pipes leading from said chest to said ports, two of Said pipes diverging and the other two being crossed, and a manually operable slide valve in said chest controlling all of said pipes.

2. In a rotary steam engine, a casing embodying three cylindrical sections in communication with each other and arranged end to end, rotary abutments journaled in the end sections of the casin and provided with recesses in their perip eries, a rotor journaled in the central section of the cas-` ing and embodying piston wings movable intoand out of the recesses in the rotary abtments, steam inlets at opposite sides of.

the rotor and adjacent to the polnts of convergence ofthe peripheries of the rotor and abutments, each piston wing being provided with grooves in the exposed faces thereof,

overlapplng packing sections movablymounted 1n said grooves and provided with inwardly extending arms having internal retaining lips movable in recesses in the sides of the wing, and springs located behind said packing sections and operating to maintain said sections in contact with the casing.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GUSTAF A. BJ ORNSON Witnesses: 1

CARL MELROSE, G. B. BnYEs'rnsoN, 

